In this era of escalating fees, the State Department has requested an increase in the cost of obtaining a passport. The new proposed rates would be $135 for a first-time passport application, $110 for a renewal and $82 for additional pages (which are currently free). It’s hard to believe that the cost of a passport could more than DOUBLE since 2002 when the fee was $60! The fees can’t go into effect until the end of a 30 day “comment” period. If you’d like to register your feelings about the fee increase, please complete the comment form at Regulations.org. In the meantime, check your passport expiration date and blank pages, better to take care of it now!